If you have diabetes, you should focus on eating lean protein, high-fiber, less processed carbs, fruits, and vegetables, low-fat dairy, and healthy vegetable-based fats such as avocado, nuts, canola oil, or olive oil. You should also manage your carbohydrate intake. Have your doctor or dietitian provide you with a target carb number for meals and snacks. Generally, women should aim for about 45 grams of carb per meal while men should aim for 60. Ideally, these would come from complex carbs, fruits, and vegetables.

Carbohydrates are the bodies' main source of energy and the nutrient that impacts blood sugar the most. People with diabetes need to monitor their carbohydrate intake because excess carbohydrates, particularly in the form of white, refined, processed, and sugary foods can elevate blood sugars and triglycerides and result in weight gain. When thinking about carbohydrates, you'll want to think about portions as well as type.
This is the most common question we get. Apparently there are a lot of fish haters in the world. Salmon and tuna are two very different types of fish. Most people like one or the other, if not both. If you are vegetarian, an equal weight (4 oz.) of peanuts, cottage cheese, or tofu will work as alternatives. It’s not great because fish helps you lose weight and is a big part of this diet. But if you must, you must.
The food prescribed in the three-day menu are unusual and not nutrient-dense choices. Foods associated with disease prevention and overall health—such as produce, beans, whole grains, and healthy oils—are greatly lacking or missing completely, yet foods that are associated with increased health risks—like processed meats (hot dogs) and added sugars (a cup of ice cream every night)—are included.
If you’re looking to lose weight without being hungry and maintain that weight in a realistic way that can last a lifetime, this might be the plan for you. The diet is both sustainable and worthwhile, and has been undertaken by many people all around the world with great success related to weight loss and more, as it works to help manage weight and reduce fat intake naturally and easily due to eating many nutrient-dense foods.

If you are overweight, combining physical activity with a reduced-calorie eating plan can lead to even more benefits. In the Look AHEAD: Action for Health in Diabetes study,1 overweight adults with type 2 diabetes who ate less and moved more had greater long-term health benefits compared to those who didn’t make these changes. These benefits included improved cholesterol levels, less sleep apnea, and being able to move around more easily.

In one meta analysis done in 2017, the authors agreed on the possibility of a vegetarian diet having preventative effects on Type 2 Diabetes development; however, they concluded that more research on this field needs to be conducted.[35] Another meta analysis that included twelve cohort studies concluded that red meat consumption is associated with an increased risk of Type 2 Diabetes.[36] A third meta analysis done in 2013 that compared a variety of different diets' effects on health concluded that a plant based diet high in whole foods, and with limited processed foods can be beneficial for the treatment and prevention of Type 2 Diabetes.[37]

This is the most common question we get. Apparently there are a lot of fish haters in the world. Salmon and tuna are two very different types of fish. Most people like one or the other, if not both. If you are vegetarian, an equal weight (4 oz.) of peanuts, cottage cheese, or tofu will work as alternatives. It’s not great because fish helps you lose weight and is a big part of this diet. But if you must, you must.

One serving in a category is called a "choice." A food choice has about the same amount of carbohydrates, protein, fat and calories — and the same effect on your blood glucose — as a serving of every other food in that same category. So, for example, you could choose to eat half of a large ear of corn or 1/3 cup of cooked pasta for one starch choice.
Looking for a step-by-step guide to eating Mediterranean? Check out our 4-Week Mediterranean Diet Menu Plan. Our most popular book will take you on a 28-day journey through many of the delicious and satisfying tastes of the Mediterranean Diet. You’ll get ingredient and equipment lists, nutritional information, and an entire month of Mediterranean breakfasts, lunches, and dinners. Also available as an e-book!
According to the American Heart Association, the Mediterranean diet is higher in fat than the standard American diet, yet lower in saturated fat. It’s usually roughly a ratio of 40 percent complex carbohydrates, 30 percent to 40 percent healthy fats and 20 percent to 30 percent quality protein foods. Because this balance is somewhat ideal in terms of keeping weight gain and hunger under control, it’s a good way for the body to remain in hormonal homeostasis, so someone’s insulin levels are normalized. As a byproduct, it also means someone’s mood is more likely to stay positive and relaxed, energy levels up, and physical activity easier.
The go-to protein in the Mediterranean diet is fish. In particular, this diet emphasizes fatty fish like salmon, sardines, and mackerel. These fish are rich in heart- and brain-healthy omega-3 fatty acids. Even those fish that are leaner and have less fat (like cod or tilapia) are still worth it, as they provide a good source of protein. If you currently don't get a lot of fish in your diet, an easy point of entry is to designate one day each week as "fish" night. Cooking fish in parchment paper or foil packets is one no-fuss, no-mess way to put dinner on the table. Or try incorporating it in some of your favorite foods, like tacos, stir-frys, and soups.